Reversing edge control for car doors



Nov. 3, 1970 N, R GulLBERT, R ET AL 5,159/1,211

REVERSING EDGE CONTROLFOR CAR DOORS Filed June 26, 19s? 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v -m/vmrons NICHOLAS R. GUILBERZ'JR.

LOU/S R METZ ATTORNEY ,1 N. R. GUILB ERT, JR., ETAL' REVERSING EDGE CONTROL FOR CAR DOORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1967 /.N vs/v 7035 v NICHOLAS R. GUIL8ER7'.JR

LOU/S 572 BY a ATTORNEY Nov. 3, 1970 N. R. GUILBERT, JR., ETA!- 3,537,211

REVERSING EDGE CONTROL FOR CAR DOORS I Filed June 26, 19 7 O v 5 Sheets-Sheet :s

, IN l/E N TORS.

NICHOLAS- R GU/LBERT. JR.

LOU/S R METZ ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1970 U.S. CI. 49-27 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A reversing edge control for use with car doors for dumb-Waiters, elevators and the like wherein deformation of the resilient edge of the door will result in an operating finger extending from the edge engaging a cable and thereby actuating a control element, such as a switch, to reverse or stop the movement of the door.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to apparatus carried by the car door of a dumbwaiter, elevator or the like, which, upon deformation of the edge, engages a cable and actuates a control member, such as a switch whereby the door movement is reversed or stopped.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Apparatus previously available for reversing the movement of a car door usually employed a compressible member extending across the width of the gate or door. The compressible member carried one or more electrical contacts that caused the electrical circuit to close upon compression of the reversing edge and reverse or stop downward door movement. This system necessitated a flexible wire extending from the edge to a switch which resulted in many design and operational problems. One solution to the problem is described inthe prior application of Louis P. Metz, Ser. No. 470,465, filed July 8, 1965 now Pat. No. 3,352,059, which employed a cable extending within and through the flexible edge member on the bottom of the door which cable was engaged by the de formation of the member and activated a switch to cause the edge to stop further movement. However, this invention has limitations in that the means of power opera tion should include a cross shaft, or its equivalent, to keep the door from racking, and it is not practical on small doors inasmuch as there is a limitation on how small a sheave may be over which the reversing cable rides.

The present invention does not have a cable passing through the edge member and does not need the complicated mechanism associated therewith and requires no contact or wires within or attached to the edge member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide a reversing edge for car doors which activates a control device, such as an electrical switch, quickly and positively to reverse or halt the door movement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a reversing edge for car doors which is simple and inexpensive to construct but sturdy and reliable in operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a reversing edge for car doors which does not require a cable running through the edge.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a reversing edge for car doors wherein there is little danger of the switch activating cable being snarled or inadvertently engaged by the reversing edge.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing the reversing edge apparatus installed on a door;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view, enlarged, of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, and showing the reversing edge in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

'FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 77 of FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 88 of FIG. 6.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings and specifically FIG. 1 thereof, a portion of a car for vertical movement is illustrated having an opening therein with respect to which an upper gate or door panel 12 is vertically movable on spaced vertical guide rails 14 and 15.

The gate 12 has a central panel 16, a pair of side guide shoes 17, and may have a top bracket portion 1 8.

The top bracket 18 is engaged by a pair of chains 19 which serve to suspend and position the gate 12, preferably in counter-balanced relation to a lower door or gate 44. The chains 19 are carried by a pair of sprockets 21 which are mounted on shafts 22 carried by a top rail 23 which connects the two vertical guide rails 14 and 15 and extend downwardly to and are secured to the top flange 45 of the lower door or gate 44. The door or gate 44 also has a horizontal edge flange 4 6 which provides an abutment.

Referring now also to FIGS. 2 through 8, the guide shoes 17 of the panel 12 are of substantially U-shape in cross section with a perpendicular rearwardly extending portion 24 and a plate portion 25 attached thereto and parallel to the central panel 16 Front or outer vertical flanges 26 of the guide rails 14 and 15 are engaged between the panel 16 and shoe plate 25 of the gate guide shoes 17.

A cable 30 is provided attached to a bracket 31 mounted on the right side front flange 26 of rail 14 by bolts 32 as seen in FIG. 1, and extends vertically upwardly along the guide shoes 17 and is connected at the top to a lever 33 by an adjustable bolt 34. The lever 33 is pivotally mounted by a pin 35 to the guide rail 14. A spring 36 engages the other end of the lever 33 and normally urges the lever 33 downwardly. The spring 36 is engaged by brackets 37 which is mounted to rail 14 by bolts 38. A switch 40 is mounted on rail 14 above the bracket 37 and lever 33.

The switch 40 has central body 41, plunger 42 and leads 43. The leads 43 are connected into the door mechanism electrical circuit (not shown) in well known manner. The lever 33 is adjusted by means of bolt 34 and spring 36 so that it just contacts the plunger 42 when the cable is taut.

The upper gate 12 at the bottom of panel 16 is provided with a bracket 47 fastened thereto by bolts 48 and extending substantially the length of the panel 16 with a forwardly extending portion 49 and a vertical plate 50. A mounting bar 51 is attached to the portion 49 by screws 52, the bar 51 extending the length of portion 49.

A sheath 54 of rubber, plastic or other flexible material, U-shaped when mounted, is held to plate 50 by plate 55 and bolts 56, and to the rear of the mounting bar 51 by a plate 57 and bolts 58. Between the mounting bar 51 and the plate 55, pairs of links 60 are provided pivotally mounted on the bar 51 by bolts 58.

The upper faces 60a of the links 60 by the engagement of their ends with the under face of the bracket portion 49 provide limit stops upon downward and upward movement. A lower horizontal contact bar 61 is movably mounted with respect to bar 51 by links 60 and bolts 62.

An arm 63 is pivotally attached to the right end of cOntact bar 61 by a pin 64 and extends outwardly to the right through a slot 65 in an end closure and limit stop plate 66 mounted to the end of portion 49. The arm 63 has a link portion 67 and a plate portion 68 with a U -shaped rod 69 attached thereto and extending around the cable 30.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out. Assuming that the gates 12 and 44 are to be closed, the mechanism (not shown) is activated to cause the chains 19 to permit the gate 12 to move vertically downwardly and the gate 44 to move upwardly along guide rails 14 and 15, to substantially close 01f the opening 11. When the sheath 54 is about two inches from the lip 46 of gate 44 downward movement of gate "12 is halted by the mechanism (not shown) which controls the chain 19.

If, while the gate 12 is descending, the sheath 54 strikes an object such as a person or some part of the 'body of a person, the deformation of the sheath 54 causes movement of the contact bar 61.

Due to the mounting of the links 60 the bar 61 moves in an arc to the right and arm 73 is urged outwardly through slot 65 so that the rod 69 presses against the cable 30.

The action of the rod 69 against cable 30 exerts pressure against the lever 34 and spring 36 and urges the lever 34 to rotate upwardly and push in the plunger 42 of switch 40. The movement of plunger 42 of switch 40 causes the circuit (not shown) controlling the movement of the chains 19 to either reverse the motion and move gates 12 and 44 toward open positions or to halt the motion as desired.

It will thus be seen that apparatus has been provided to carry out the objects of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with an element having an access opening and pair of parallel guide rails extending along opposite sides of said opening, and a panel mounted for movement transversely with respect to the opening,

means for controlling the positioning of the panel comprising a control cable disposed along one of said guide rails mounted at one end at a fixed location on one side of said opening and along which said panel is movable,

a control member mounted at a fixed location with respect to said opening on said one side thereof and to which the other end of said control cable is connected in actuating relation, and

sensing means carried by a free edge of the panel normal to said guide rails and having a portion movable into actuating engagement with said control cable upon engagement of said sensing means with an interposed object.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said control cable is fixedly and adjustably mounted at said one end.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said means includes a flexible sheath, and a contact bar within said sheath actuating said movable portion upon displacement of said contact bar.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which said means also includes a mounting bar on which said flexible sheath is carried, and

said contact bar is movably mounted with respect to said mounting bar.

5. The combination defined in claim 3 in which said means also includes a mounting bar, and

said contact bar is vertically movably mounted with respect to said mounting bar.

6. The combination defined in claim 3 in which said means also includes a mounting bar, and

links are provided connected to said mounting bar and said contact bar.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 in which said links have limit stop portions for limiting the movement of said contact bar.

8. The combination defined in claim 3 in which said means also includes a mounting bar links are provided connected to said mounting bar and said contact bar, and

said movable portion is pivotally connected to said contact bar and carried with respect to said panel for movement outwardly uponvertical movement of said contact bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,001,990 8/1911 Rowntree et a1 49-27 1,565,399 12/1925 Rowntree 4927 3,330,923 7/1967 Brockmeyer et al. 200-61.43 3,352,059 11/ 1967 Metz 49-27 FOREIGN PATENTS 276,684 3/1928 Great Britain. 645,538 ll/ 1950 Great Britain.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner 1 U.S. Cl. X.R. 200 -6143 

